Tbilisi City Court sentences UNM chair to imprisonment

By Khatia Bzhalava

Thursday, February 18

Nika Melia, Chairman of the United National Movement, did not attend his trial and spent the night in the party office with several opposition party members and UNM supporters.

Opposition members gathered at the UNM office announced that they would oppose the court verdict peacefully.

The trial of Nika Melia, the Chairman of the United National Movement, was held yesterday at the Tbilisi City Court. On Tuesday, a few non-governmental organizations issued a joint statement regarding Melia’s trial, noting that the analysis of the investigation conducted by the relevant agencies so far points to signs of selective justice. “This is a selective prosecution against the chairperson of the largest opposition party and it will seriously harm the democracy level of the country and further polarise the political environment,” reads the statement.

On 25 June 2019, the Prosecutor’s Office charged Melia with leading and participating in group violence during the rally outside of the Parliament building on 20-21 June 2019. He was released on GEL 30,000 bail on June 27, 2020. Melia was prohibited from leaving his residence without obtaining permission and informing the investigation authority, having any communication with witnesses, and making public statements at public gatherings. In his speech on November 1st, Melia violated the conditions of his bail by publicly removing his surveillance bracelet and GEL40,000 was added to his bail in November 2020. The bail must have been paid within 50 days, however, Melia refused to do so. On February 16th, the Parliament stripped Melia of parliamentary immunity per the request of the Prosecutor’s Office, which made it possible for the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia to apply to Tbilisi City Court with a motion to reverse his bail conditions to detention.

Melia himself did not attend the hearing presided by Judge Nino Chakhnashvili, at the Tbilisi City Court yesterday. Leaders of various political parties, as well as UNM supporters, gathered at the National Movement office to express solidarity towards Melia as they believe he is a victim of political revenge. Opposition members announced that they would act as ‘human shields’ and would not let law enforcers arrest him. “They would have to clash with unarmed peaceful civilians,” he stated.

During the trial, Melia’s lawyers demanded the judge’s recusal of the case. Melia’s lawyers claimed that the special law enforcers were mobilized at the UNM central office, which meant that the court’s decision about Melia’s imprisonment had already been made. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) denied this and stated that the footage of law enforcers aired in the media was shot at the Special Tasks Department base, located near the UNM office.

The trial lasted for 6 hours and found Melia guilty. The prosecutor explained that the accused had deliberately failed to comply with the bail conditions.

Later yesterday pre-trial detention was ordered for the Chairman of the United National Movement Nika Melia. With this decision, the motion of the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia was fully satisfied.